Steering device for farm-tractors.



A. H. MEHRINGS.

STEERING DEVICE FOR FARM TRACTORS.

Arrucmon min rss. a. |916.

1,211,332. Patented Jan. 2,1917.

ARTHUR H. MEHRING S, OF BENSON` ILLINOIS. s

STEERING DEVICE POR FARM-TRACTORS.

a 0n o han Application filed February S 1916.

To 0121071011246 may concern:

Be it known that I. Airriiun H. Mniiiixcs. :i citizen of the YnitedStates. resid ing at Benson. in lthe countv oi Woodford :md State ofillinois. have invented new and useful Improvements in Steering` Devicest'or Farin-Tractors. of which the vfollowingI i n specification.

This invention relates to n steering device for farm tractors. and ithas for ile` objert to produce n :simple and improved device of thisclass whereby the operator ol n grain binder or other agriculturalmachine which is being drnwn over the ground bv a tractor may be enabledto steer and control such tractor. thus enabling the lzibor of one manto he dispensed with.

A further object of the invention is to produce a steeringr device ol'simple and imroved construction which may be readily installed on orconnected with the steering appiiratus ot' im ordinary forni tractor soas to enable the some to be controlled b v the operator of anagricultural machine which is-iiitcbed to the tractor.

lith these and other ends in view which will readily appear as thenature of the in vention is better understood, the suine consists in theimproved construction and novel arrangement and combination ot' partswhich will be hereinafter fully described and par ticnlarly pointed ontin the claims.

`In the nccoiilpuirving drawing hns been illustrated a simple andpreferred form of the invention, it being. however, understood. thiit nolimitation is necessarily made to tbe recise structural details thereinexhibited,

ut that changes. alterationsnnd modicntions within the scope of theclniins may be resorted to when desired.

.In the drawing. Figure 1 is ai diagrnmi matic plan view of a binder:ind tractor to which the invention has been applied. Fig. 2 is ii Viewin side elevation ofthe improved steering apparatus. Fig. 3 islalongitudinal sectional view of the saine. Fig. e is a transversesectional view taken on the line 4*-4 in Fig. 3. Fig. is :i sectionaldetail view vtaken on the line 5 5 in Fig. 3.

Corresponding partein the. several figures nre denoted by likecharacters of reference. 'The steering wheel 15 which is removed fromthe steering rod 1G of the tractor 1s moi'mted on one end of a tubularrod o r pipe 17 which may consist of :in ordinary onoinch pipe, thesaine being provided at. its

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 2, 1917.

seriai No. 77,099.

other end with un internal Sleeve 1S having n lion-circularborepreferablysquare in cross section to accommodate a slidable extensionrofl lll which is also non-circular. preferably squnre in cross section,sous to lit` the sleeve in which the extension rod is slidiible sothiittho said extension rod will telescope within the tube or pipe, 1T.the sleeve 1S beingr fixed lirnil) in said tube. A lubricator 20,prefer- :iblv designed for, the use of hard oil, is pro vided tolubrcutc the. bore of the sleeve 1S so as to permit the extensionrod 1t)to slide freely therein. A universal joiiitQl of conventional und wellltnown construction is used to connect the extension rod lil with thesteering rod lli of the tractor, the hitter bninf.y diog'rnurmuticullyshown :it A.

An agricultural machine, such iis :i grain binder. which isconventionall)y shown al: B, is equipped with un Lsliuped bi'zit'liet 22mounted on the frame thereof, saliti bracket havin.;r :i horizontal arm23. which is :ipertured for the reception of the shrink 24- of the forkmember 25, said shuiilt being swiv eled in the nrin 23 ot' the bracketwhere it ma)l be secured by means of :i pin or Cotter 2li. rl`hc forkmember 25 engages an annular groove ZT in the tubo 1T which hitter,while, free to rotate. will tlius be prevented from longitudinalmovement with respect to the bracket. The lutter is mounted in such nposition that the steering wheel 15 carried b v the tube l? will beconveniently acceible to the driver or operator.

As will be readilir seen from the foregoing description, taken iiiconnection with the drawing:` the operator who is seated on thel binderor other agricultural machine is enabled. by moans of the steeringwheel, to rotate the steering rod of the tractor, thereby controllingthe movement of said tractor.`

When turns are being made and when for` this reason the disttincebetween the steering rod of the tractor and the bracket which supportsthe steering tube 19 islbein' va'- ried. the. extension rod 19 is freetosh e or to telescope within the tubular steerin' rod, as will bereadily seen, and said tiibular steering rod is free to move angularlywith respect to the bracket'QQ owing to the feet that the fork orsupportn' member is svrivcled on the arm of said rocket. The improvedsteering a paratus willthnsadapt itself toany ossi `le contingencies,and the slide joint w iereby the extension rod 19 is connected with thetube 17 will be constantly hdn'iented So :1s to permit freedom ofmovenient.

Hoving.: llms described the invention, what is einimed :is new, is:Y l.in :i device of the elnss defurihed, a tnlmlur steering' rod having;r :Lhond wheel :vt one end nnd provided nt the other end with ".1 iixedintel-nul sleeve having :L hore of noneirenhir eross Seetion, Huidtnhldnr rod being provided with :1n nnnnhir groove, near the endenrrving the hand wheel, :i mipport con Sistine* of :1 hrneket hziving;r:in arm. and n fork engaging the :mnuhir groove in the tnindu r rod,lmid fork having :in min Swiveied in the, hrneket, :in extension red ofnon-eil'- enlnr eross seetion, Suid rod having` Slidnhie eonnec'tionwith the sleeve :it the. end of the tldmhir Steeringl rod, :l pefmnnentSteering.:

rod, :md n liniversfd joint eonneetin-J: mid pernmnent steering rod withdu' n.'

tension rod.

2. In :L deviee of the class deserihm, :k tobllhir steering rod hnving:L hund wheel at one end und provided :it the other end with n fixedinternal sleeve having :1 bore of non-- eirenhu' cross section, onextension lod of non-rirenhu' cross section Siidnhly engziging thelleevrg and :i lnhrientor engaging the tnhuhlr rod :1nd the Sleeve toSupply inhrieating nmterizd to the extension rod.

In testimony whereof I n ix my Signature in preseneee-f? two \\'tnesses.

ARTHUR Il. MHRNGS. 'Vitnees:

R. C. Fnlilm, Josm'il Koen.

